Sunflower || JJ Maybank/Cassandra Routledge

20. Blue And Brown

Spy Games 4.03

"He didn't come in here. He didn't see us, Jay, and now he's gone. He left. You're okay. You're with me. I wouldn't let anything happen to you, okay? No matter what. You're safe with me."

JJ wastes no time swinging Casey's arm over his shoulder and heading in the direction of Pope and Kiara in front of them. He tries to ignore the grunting coming from her, but it's hard knowing even the simple action of helping her walk is causing her pain and he hates every second of it. But, he needs to get her away from the crowd of people that can easily see them now. "We gotta get outta here." He tells her as he carefully wraps his arm around her back, keeping her upright. He is definitely struggling at the moment, but he knows, right now, she is the one that needs help. Kelce had a tight hold around his neck, but he wasn't gasping for air like she was. He could hear her all the way next to the screen. Rafe did not give her any room to move. His sole purpose was to severely hurt her. "I need to get you out of here. I need to get you safe."

Casey glances over at him as he mumbles. She knows he's not meaning for it to come out, and he has no idea the words are leaving his mouth but they are. He is speaking the fears coursing through his mind. "I'm okay, Jay." She manages to whisper, even though it hurts to talk. "I'm okay."

JJ doesn't listen to her as she tries to reassure him. He's not doing it intentionally, but his mind is on a one track cycle right now. The screen is on fire behind them and the Kooks are god knows while moviegoers continue to scream and run for safety. Rafe's sole purpose may be to hurt Casey, but JJ's sole purpose is to help her. And, to do that, he speeds up, making her grunt again. The two quickly cross the open field and make a b-line for Kiara's SUV. As soon as the two meet up with the other Pogues, Kiara helps Pope into the passenger seat and JJ carefully gets Casey into the back. Once again, she feels her back explode with pain but she tries to hide it by biting her lip. As Kiara and JJ round the vehicle to get in on the other side, Casey lets out a shaky breath. Right now, Pope is in no place to be worrying about her so she lets the pain out, until the two are in, then once again, she stiffens it. She does not need them to worry about her, more than they already are.

"Damn." She mumbles as she rests her head back against the headrest. Her neck is on fire. On the inside and the outside. She can still feel Rafe's hold on her. It scares her, but she is not going to let it control her. Not anymore. Uncharacterisly, once they are driving away from the chaos, heading back to the Cut, she starts laughing and gently runs her hands across her neck. "He has a strong grip." She manages to whisper. It hurts beyond hell to talk, but she can't help it right now. She needs the ringing in her ears to stop and the only way to stop it is to talk. JJ slowly looks over at her as he wipes the blood from under his nose, in complete shock of what she just said. Did she really just make a joke about what happened? A joke about Rafe, of all people? Casey feels his eyes on her and turns her head towards him, hissing at the pain in her neck. She can see it in his eyes, he is not happy. Of course he is not happy about what happened, but he is not happy about her comment.  "Sorry." She whispers and leans her head back to face the front. "Kie? What did you do?"

"I found JJ's lighter and set the screen on fire." She explains as she looks back in the rearview mirror at the two, taking in the fact that both of them look like they just went twelve rounds with a brick wall. "I saw Rafe strangling you, and Kelce and Topper weren't letting go of the boys, so I had to do something."

"Thank god, you did." Casey grunts as she reaches her hand out and grabs Kiara's chair to pull herself forward. She rests her forearms on the shoulders of the chairs and glances over to Pope as he slouches into the chair. "That is something I do not want to happen again. I was definitely not liking being stuck under that fucker, I can tell you that right now."